Rotary cultivator



A. V. PETTMAN.

ROTARY CULTIVATOR.

' APPLICATION FILED APILI, 1919.

Inngug: :25H

ALBERT VINTEN PETTMAN, 0F WAIMAMAKU I-IOXIANGA, NEW ZEALAND.

ROTARY CULTIVATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 15, 1921.

Application led April 4, 1919. Serial No. 287,473.

To (1N whom. if mn'g/ concern Be it known that I, ALBERT VINTEN PETT-MAX. a subject of l-lis Maiesty the King of the lliiited Kingdom ofGreat Biitain and Ireland` resident of Vaimamaku Hokianga, in theProvincial District of Auckland and Dominion of New Zealand, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Rotary tiiltivators` of whichthe following is a specification.

According to this invention the cultivator comprises a frame mounted onwheels and is provided prefeiably with its own means of propulsion suchas an internal combustion engine. the other necessary parts suoli aschange speed gear, brakes. clutches and the like being also provided inany known suitable form.

The front wheels are mounted on a power driven axle and are providedwith mechanism controlled by a steering wheel situated conveiiient tothe operators seat to enable tlie apparatus to be steered and worked inthe desired direction.

The means for disintegrating or pulverizing the soil comprise bladesshaped somewhat similarly to plow shares and mold boards, said bladesbeing secured around the circumferences of disks keyed or otherwisesecured on a rear cross shaft carried on the frame said rear shaft beingdriven from an intermediate shaft operated from the engine via a clutchand gear box and the intermediate shaft transmits rotation to the frontwheels through suitable diiferential or balance gear and other gearingthe ratio of gearing between said intermediate shaft and the frontwheels being such that the front wheels at all times rotate at a slowerspeed than the shaft carrying the soil disintegrating or pulverizingmeans. in order that the disintegration or pulverizing of the soil maybe effected. Means are provided attached to the running wheels (otherthan the front wheels) whereby the height of the frame from the groundcan be varied as desired in order that the depth at which the cultivatorblades work may be determined to suit requirements.

Means are also provided whereby the front portion of the apparatus canbe disconnected from the rear portion and be used as a tractor forhauling' purposes.

v view how the front Wheels are made eXtensible.

Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views showing the method of securing thecultivator blades to the disks.

The frame l is mounted on wheels, the front wheels 2 being mounted in afork 3 pivoted to the frame 1 at 4. A quadrant 5 extending rearward fromthe upper portion of the fork works between the converging portions 6 ofthe frame 1 and a projection 7, thereby insuring vertical rigidity 0fthe fork, while permitting it to revolve about the pivot 4.

On the quadrant 5 is a rack 8, with which gears a pinion 9, mounted onthe end of a rod '10, the rear end of which carries a steering wheel l1,so that by operating the latter the front wheels can be turned to causethe machine to run in the direction required.

Toward the rear of the frame 1, is a cross shaft 12, on which are keyed0r otherwise rigidly mounted disks 13 each carrying a number ofcultivator blades 13' secured around its circumference, said shaft 12being driven through connecting rods and cranks 14 from shaft 15 whichis operated from the engine 16 via a clutch 7 and gear box 1S.

The front wheels 2 are driven from the shaft 15 through gearing 19 anddifferential or balance gear 20, the gearing between said shaft 15 andthe wheels 2 being so arranged that the latter never rotate at a speedequal to or greater' than that oflthe shaft 12 in order that thecultivator blades 13a rotated thereby may effect the breaking up andpulverizing of the soil by rotating at a speed greater than the speed atwhich the machine travels.

In order that the cultivator blades can be caused to work at the depthrequired the running wheels 21 are mounted in the ,lower forked ends 22of vertical racks 24, the latter passing through squared openings in theframe 1. Pinions 25 on shaft 26 mesh with the racks 24, and may all besimultaneously operated to raise or lower the (frame 1, by the rotationof the crank han- When the machine is Working on soft ground and inorder to prevent the Wheels 2 sinking therein, the latter are made eX-tensible. This is done by forming each wheel in two portions (Fig. 3)the outer portion 2 being a. fixture on the shaft 28 and the portion 2bslidable thereon. The hub 30 of the portion 2b is adapted to be boltedto the hub 29 of the portion 2a when the wheel is collapsed, and whenthe wheel is extended the hub 30 is bolted or otherwise secured to aflange 31 a fixture on the shaft 28 at the limit of the wheelsextension.

Bars 32 hinged together connect the rims of the portions 2a and 2b andwhen the wheel is extended form a series of horizontal bars around therims between the two portions. lVhen the wheel is collapsed the bars 32lie between the wheel spokes and the rims of the two portions 2a 2b areside by side.

To enable the machine to be used as a tractor for hauling purposes, theframe is preferably jointed at 38 (Fig. l) and by disconnecting the rearportion of the frame from the front portion at the point mentioned anddetaching the connecting rods 14, the fore part with the means ofpropulsion thereon can be employed as above indicated.

The method Vof securing the cultivator blades 13a to the disk 13consists of welding or otherwise fastening the front of the blade 13a tothe disk 13 at 33 at an angle to circumference, and securing a rod 34 tothe top of the blade 13a of the disk 13, said blades 13a slope back fromthe direction of motion of the disk 13. A section is cut out of thedisks at 36 to facilitate running of the disk 13.

What I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a rotarycultivator, the combination of a frame; a shaft mounted in the rear ofsaid frame; disks mounted on said shaft; ground working tools carried bythe disks; front wheels; means for steering the front wheels; an enginemounted on the frame; a power shaft operated by said engine; gearingbetween the power shaft and the front wheels whereby the front wheelscause the advancement of the cultivator forwardly over the ground;operating connections between the power shaft and the shaft carrying theground working tools for rotating said shaft at a higher rate of speedthan the forward speed of the machine; a plurality of guiding andsupporting wheels carried by the frame; and means for simultaneouslyadjusting the position of said rollers relatively to the ground.

2. In a rotary cultivator, the combination of a frame; a shaft mountedin the rear of said frame; ground working tools supported by said shaftand adapted to be rotated with the rotation of the shaft; front wheels,means for steering the front wheels; an engine mounted on said frame; apower shaft operated by said engine; gearing between the power shaft andthe front steering wheels whereby the front wheels cause the advancementof the machine over the ground; an arm secured to the power shaft; apitman connected to said arm; and an arm secured to the shaft carryingthe ground working tools and connected to said pitman, said arm, pitmanand arm coperating to rotate the shaft carrying the ground working toolswith the rotation of the power shaft.

ALBERT VINTEN PETTMAN. lVitness:

ERNEST WILFRED BoYoE CAREY.

